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ICDESS Estepa

Iniciativas Comunitarias de Desarrollo Estepa – Sierra Sur S. A. is a public limited company for Local Development, which was created on December 10, 1990. It is governed by its own statutes and by the Law on public limited companies.

The action frame is made out of eighteen municipalities, ten out of which belong to the Estepa's functional scope, and the other eight belong to the scope of Osuna. They all make up the area that has been called Sierra Sur. This area is located in the depression of the Guadalquivir River, the surface of the area of action represents the 9,44% of the surface of the province of Seville, the 11,70% of the surface of Andalucía and the 0,30% of Spain. This area includes the following municipalities: Aguadulce, Algámitas, Badolatosa, Casariche, Los Corrales, Estepa, Gilena, Herrera, Lantejuela, Lora de Estepa, Marinaleda, Martín de la Jara, Osuna, Pedrera, La Roda de Andalucía, El Rubio, El Saucejo and Villanueva de San Juan. The total population is 86.429 (Census 2008), 52% are women.

Iniciativas Comunitarias de Desarrollo has its headquarters in Estepa. Estepa has 12.632 inhabitants (Census 2009) and is located by one of the major roads axis of Andalucía (highway A-92) that connects Seville (the provincial capital), Malaga and the Costa del Sol, and Granada, and Almeria. "In situ" there is a high speed railway station AVE to Malaga, Cordoba, Madrid, Zaragoza, and Barcelona; moreover, Estepa is 50 minutes from Malaga airport, 80 minutes from Granada and 60 from minutes Seville. Therefore, our communications are excellent. The area is predominantly agricultural and olive trees are one of the main sources of income, but we can also highlight the growing development of certain industries (mill for making olive oil, vegetables canning industries, and especially confectionery industries).

Regarding the activity rates, Estepa not only exceeds those of the province of Seville and Andalusia, it also has the highest employment rate. Economy is based, on the one hand, on olive groves (the region has a Denomination of Origin Extra Virgin Olive Oil "Oleoestepa"), and on the other, on the manufacturing of “mantecados” and “polvorones” (Christmas cakes and sweets; we have a Protected Geographical Status “Mantecados de Estepa”). Estepa exports products to some countries of the Maghreb, Russia, Latin America, Canada, Switzerland and the EU, especially France, England and The Netherlands.

Members of the societyIts composition has both private and public capital.

According to the statutes of this entity, its aim is the promotion, channelling and management of any kind of initiative that favours Local Development in the area of Estepa-Sierra Sur, concretely:Presentation of all the necessary services to prepare and develop new entrepreneurial activities and the modernization of the existing ones.The study and establishment of general and/or particular plans for industrial exploitation.Coordination of socio-economic activities.The preparation, processing and management of technical, economic and financial projects.

Experience in European programmes and local development

Since its creation Iniciativas Comunitarias de Desarrollo Estepa – Sierra Sur S. A. has been working on projects involving European fund, all related to local development and quality of life of the population:

Programme PACTE. Project Mersowat. Actions and study on drinkable water consumption Article X. ERDF. It was a partner of the Development Association CLAVE&LABORO, which was created to participate in the call of the EQUAL Initiative. Business Simulation. Business management simulation. Market observatory. Careers counselling.

It has been the entity responsible for the Management of the Community Initiative Leader I and Leader II, whose objectives were:

Technical Support to Rural Development.

Professional Training and Assistance for Contracting.

Rural Tourism.

Small enterprises, Craftsmanship and Trade.

Agrarian Valuation and Marketing.

Preservation and improvement of the surrounding environment.

Iniciativas Comunitarias de Desarrollo was the pioneering company in the matters related to the development of the area, implementing many activities: training, sensitization, dynamism, and it has being present in different European programmes, therefore, it has the capacity to establish a supportive environment in consortiums, to maintain and to strengthen the involvement of partners, to fulfil implementation dates, and to assume administrative and financial responsibilities with the Managing Authority.

Moreover, is a company which offers guidance and counselling to other companies of the region and also provides community services. For this reason it:

collaborates with nursing homes for the elderly by helping them to prepare projects,

participates in social projects related to old or dependent people in order to improve their quality of life

conducts a study about how to use optic fibre so that old and disable people can stay longer in their houses